4 
COLORADO EXPERIMENT STATION 
some means we can lengthen the life of the fruit in transit, over-produc¬ 
tion may easily take place. For this reason it is encouraging to think 
that the industry is new and that probably much is to be learned about 
the proper handling of the fruit for shipment. 
Quite a variation in season may be found in different sections and 
altitudes, and all dewberries do not necessarily come into competition. 
Soils and Locations. In its wild state the dewberry is found grow¬ 
ing on comparatively light sandy soil and if this is significant it would 
suggest that our sandy mesa soils are the best adapted to its culture. 
Yet in Colorado, the dewberry, like our tree-fruits is grown on almost 
any kind of soil. Considered from the standpoint of both ease of cul¬ 
ture and adaptability, however, sandy soils free from rock or gravel are 
best adapted to dewberry growing. Since the plants must be covered 
for the winter, and as they are generally covered with the soil about 
them, any considerable amount of gravel or rock is undesirable. In 
the introductory remarks it has been suggested that the dewberry does 
not develop well in a hot climate and here it may be said that much 
may be gained by choosing a northern exposure upon which to set the 
dewberry patch. The best growers recognize this as an important 
point, the fruit not only develops better but the vines get through the 
trying days of winter and spring with less injury. 
Propagation. The dewberry may be propagated by layering the 
tips or from root cuttings. In fact the plants are so easily secured 
that one may generally get them from his neighbors plantation more 
easily than from a nurseryman. If plants are required by the whole¬ 
sale a good plan is to plow a furrow along the row, place the tips of the 
runners in this and turn a light furrow back upon them; the tips must 
be actually covered. This work should be done before the opening of 
the picking season in most altitudes, and the plants will be ready for 
next spring’s setting. Deep cultivation that will disturb or break 
large roots will cause many new plants to start. If an old bed is to 
b- discarded, a good crop of plants may be secured by thoroughly 
plowing and working down the bed in the spring allowing the young 
plants to spring up from the broken roots the following summer. 
Root-cuttings, from roots the size of a lead pencil, may be taken in the 
fall, stored in moist sand over winter and planted out in nursery rows 
the following spring. If these root-cuttings are well cared for during 
the winter and planted three inches deep in a good soil, kept well moist¬ 
ened, a fair percent will produce plants. Root-cuttings taken in the 
spring and planted in the same way will also give fair results. 
The dewberry does not sucker as freely as the blackberry, neither does 
it root as readily from root-cuttings. 
Preparation of Land for Planting. In an irrigated section the 
first step in the preparation of land for any crop is proper leveling, 
low spots where water settles or high spots difficult to irrigate mater¬ 
ially cut down the dewberry yield. Best stands are secured when the 
ground has been deeply plowed, well worked down and pulverized; 
no doubt fall preparation is advisable for spring setting. 
